Riddikulus
by ToxicCandy
Summary: Just because the Boggart goes away, it does not mean your fears vanish with it.
1. Chapter 1

**This is a quick one shot that I had sitting my head for awhile. I don't know if I will turn it into something longer or not. Thanks for reading.**

* * *

Lola watched as her classmates from both Slytherin and Gryffindor stepped forward to face a Boggart for the very first time. She knew full well what this creature was all about: exposing a person's worst fear. Sure some of the other students had silly fears, but hers was more real.

For instance, Ronald Weasley nearly wet his pants when he was confronted with a gigantic spider. Using _Riddikulus_ he was able to transform the hideous insect into a comical sight. On each leg of the spider a roller-skate appeared. It slipped around the floor until it fell flat on its belly.

Feeling quite proud of himself, the red head stepped back into the crowd, laughing with everyone else. Lola only became more nervous. She did not want to be picked at all. She watched as the professor scanned the room for the next participant.

_Don't pick me. Don't pick me. Don't pick me. _

"Beckett." Severus Snape had made eye contact with her. A few 'oohs' rang out as all eyes became focused on her.

"S-sir, I don't think I should – " she began quickly.

"Is my own snake disobeying me?" He raised an eyebrow. "I don't think anyone would appreciate me taking points away." Her fellow Slytherins began groaning and egging her on.

_You better not make us lose points! _

_Stop being a wuss! _

_Go already!_

Lola swallowed hard as she was pushed to the front of the room. Shaking, she drew closer to the spider that was still having trouble regaining its balance. "Sir, please don't make me do this." She looked over at her professor, her eyes beginning to water. "You know I excel at everything but please I don't want to do this."

"Stop being a coward." Severus spat. "I doubt anything earth shattering could come out of this. You all know nothing of _real_ fear yet." He spoke to the general crowd with his last statement.

Lola closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. The Boggart began to target her and transform into something new. Her classmates, now intrigued by her pleas, watched intently. Before she could even turn to run away, her fear was revealed to everyone.

A second Severus Snape stood in the room. A few giggles came from behind Lola.

_That's it?!_

_Everyone's afraid of him! _

_What a disappointment!_

"We've already seen this. Mr. Longbottom had his turn and the same result. Cast the spell and move on." Severus barked, still seething with anger from his double being adorned in a dress and heels.

But Lola couldn't move. She was frozen to her spot. It wasn't that her Head of House scared her by just his presence. It wasn't his demanding and rough personality. It was being rejected by him – romantically. For a few years now Lola harbored feelings for her Potions Master, but hoped it would pass. It never did.

Lost in her shock, the Boggart Snape drew closer to her. Everyone wondered what it would do to her. Lola shook her head and looked up at the double, his face inches from hers. If it weren't for the audience she would have given in to her feelings, but Boggarts don't exist to please – they exist to cause pain.

"You're pathetic…" Severus' double muttered. She opened her mouth to respond but found no words. The Boggart continued mocking her. "You may be in love with me, but I could never love someone as disgusting as you."

Lola bit her lip. "Stop…" Her heart pounded violently.

"You're ugly and a downright imbecile." The tears finally came. "Crying only proves my point…" The double lowered himself to her ear and began to whisper. "I also know you sit in class daydreaming; you want me to bend you over my desk, don't you?"

"I said stop!" Lola screamed and attempted to shoved the double. It stepped back in time and struck her across the face. The sound of the smack echoed through the silent room. Neither the other students nor the real Severus knew what to do. Lola fell to her knees, audibly crying. It was now obvious why she begged not to go through with this.

"Rid…diku…lus…" Lola tried to cast it through the tears. The double laughed harder. It bent down to her level once again and grabbed her long ponytail, pulling her head back. It hovered its lips above Lola's. Or were they Severus'? She felt sick. The class gasped as the second Severus roughly kissed Lola.

The real one had had enough, however. He cast the spell and sent the Boggart flying back into the armoire. Lola remained on the ground, her head lowered in shame. She could hear the whispering, the giggling, and the judgments being made. None of that mattered though, because there was only one person she knew she could not face. Lola was strong enough to handle the teasing for a few months until this passed, but he made her weak.

Severus looked down at his hurt student, knowing full well how rejection could torment someone. He ordered for the rest of the dunderheads to be silent and he outstretched his arm to her. Lola wiped her eyes and slowly stood, but refusing to look at anyone. He asked her to step outside and she nodded, wiping the dust of the ground from her legs.

Once alone, he tried to soften his approach. "I… apologize for forcing you into this. Had I known, I would have left you alone."

Lola's eyes were red now. "What makes you think none of us would have these problems?" She began angrily, glaring at the floor. "I bet you don't even remember what it was like being our age. That's why it's so easy for you to belittle and dismiss things like this…" She moved past him and made her way down the hall. She wanted to sleep this off before the others began their torture.

Severus let her go without a word. _ But I do know..._


	2. Chapter 2

Before she even reached her room, almost all of her year had heard about the Boggart incident. As Lola threw herself onto her four poster bed and drew the curtains tight, the halls erupted with giggles and whispers. By dinner time the whole Great Hall seemed to be buzzing with the gossip. Severus sat with the other professors as usual, very well aware of the conversations taking place. Each time a student looked up at his table, they were met with a deadly gaze.

Professor McGonagall had caught wind of the event - her own students could barely pay attention to her lesson. "Severus," she leaned over and lowered her voice, "Is all of this-"

"Yes." He muttered quickly. "It's over."

"Over?" She looked around the Hall again. "From what I see, it's just begun. Have you spoken to Miss Beckett?"

Severus closed his eyes. "I did. I apologized - which I never do without _good _reason - for pushing the lesson. I was accused of 'not understanding' and all of that teenage nonsense. She then stormed away. _It's over_." He tried to wave her off.

Minerva only shook her head. "They are going to eat her alive. As her Head of House you're going to have to be prepared for that. I have a feeling this will escalate because you were the, ah, target."

"Can't you say something? You're a woman." He did not want to be bothered by this anymore.

Minerva scoffed. "Well thank you for noticing Severus, but I don't think that's wise. It's bad enough more students know. How do you think she feels knowing that the whole staff does as well?" She then returned to her own plate.

Severus quickly took hold of his Firewhiskey and drank deeply. "We shall see."

* * *

McGonagall's predictions rang true. Lola felt like there was no safe place for her in the castle anymore. Just like Severus she believed it would blow over in a week, but it only spiraled out of control. If students weren't throwing notes at her with "Lola + Snape" on it, they were making kissing faces and crude noises.

One afternoon in Potions before Severus arrived, Lola entered the room to find a dirty, and very detailed, drawing on the blackboard. She ran up to the board and dropped her bag, her face growing very red. The class roared with laughter behind her as she furiously attempted to rub the chalk off with her hands.

"What is wrong with all of you?!" She cried out on the verge of tears. When the laughing died down, she thought perhaps they had realized their mistake. When Lola turned around however, she was met with Severus standing in the middle of the classroom, watching her attack the board. He had just caught a glimpse of it before she made her first swipe.

Immediately she picked up her bag and rushed past him towards the exit. Severus let her go, again, without a word. Lola just barely heard him take 100 points from each House until the culprit stepped forward.

* * *

Lola laid in her bed for what seemed like the millionth time these past couple weeks. She couldn't bring herself to do any of his assignments or even attend the classes. Every time she attempted to overcome this, someone took it upon themselves to find a new way to torment her.

She heard footsteps outside of the room and she closed the curtains once more. She could barely see through the emerald fabric, making out of the figures of her room mates.

"Did you see the look on her face when he showed up? How pathetic!" One girl exclaimed. The rest followed suit with insults and "jokes".

Lola's face burned and her hands balled into fists. _I bet it was one of them... Admit it! _She leaned in close, ready to pop out at any moment.

"It's so disgusting! I mean, it would be one thing if she was in love with a guy in our year but... he's SO OLD! Thanks for talking me into that though, I always knew my artistic abilities would come in handy one day." The girls once again began laughing loudly.

The curtain flew open and Lola planted her feet so hard it grabbed their attention. "You did this? Why?" She moved close to the other girl. The group fell silent. "I asked you a question, Amanda. You're supposed to be my 'best' friend, which means you don't do shit like this!" Her volume increased with each word.

Amanda seemed unmoved. "It was funny. Can't you take a joke?"

"A joke? A joke?! The whole castle has been after me for weeks, and you think it's still just a joke?!" Lola did not stop moving closer and had backed Amanda up against a dresser. She had never felt such hatred for anyone in her life before.

"You're insane! Get out of my face!" Amanda yelled.

"And you're a back stabbing bitch!" Lola grabbed her shoulders and shoved her into the dresser before smacking her across the face. Amanda reached for her wand but Lola only shoved her again and she dropped it. "Relax - it was just a _joke_." She glared at the rest of the girls and left the room.

Lola couldn't see straight as she walked through the dungeon hallways. She couldn't believe that someone she trusted for so long would just betray her. Beginning to calm down, she leaned against the wall and began to breathe normally again. Looking around, Lola knew it was already past curfew. She rolled her eyes, dreading going back to her room.

"Out of bed, Beckett? I thought you wouldn't want to be caught considering I'm missing week's worth of assignments from you." Severus stepped out of the shadows.

Lola only continued to stare straight forward. "I had to leave."

"Yes, breaking rules is something you _have_ to do now it seems."

"The drawing from earlier... I found out who did it and hit them." She admitted firmly. "I don't feel any better now but at least I know the only friend I had never was one." Lola looked at the ground and shuffled her feet. "Could I get an extension on the assignments... considering the situation?"

Severus shifted uncomfortably for a moment. He debated with himself if this was a good enough excuse. Usually only students who are on the verge of death in the Hospital Wing received this favor. "Tomorrow is Saturday. You will spend every weekend, including Fridays, in my office completing what you owe me. Now go back to the Common Room before I change my mind."

Lola did not look at him but nodded in acknowledgement. "Thank you." She turned around and walked as slowly as possible, hoping the girls had gone to sleep.


End file.
